Chuck vs Our Dear Fears
by Ivonnebagel12
Summary: Takes place during and after Chuck vs. Phase Three. Chuck and Sarah are together once again after Sarah kicked butt to save him, and are currently on the plane ride home...
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys,_

_So this is my first posting on fanfiction. Ever. And I'm super excited to finally write, and it's all thanks to the inspiration I received from my fellow writers right here. I just couldn't contain my Chuck imaginings any longer. _

_So this takes place during and a wee bit after Chuck vs. Phase Three. Despite being what I personally thought was one of the best episodes I'd seen as of yet on the show, we did get jipped out of the whole potential scene back home of Chuck and Sarah's happiness of being together again. AKA: the let's-make-up-for-time-lost-since-we-almost-lost-each-other time between Chuck and Sarah. I mean, come on, Sarah went all scary badass over everyone and everything she came into contact with to save Chuck, and she was content with a simple (yet emotionally satisfying) kiss? Like all was good now?_

_Oh, hell no._

_That may have been a tad bit confusing. Maybe when you read it can clarify what I mean._

_So, this is my take on the return trip home, and thus after._

_I do not own Chuck (however a girl can dream) and the only thing I own are my ideas. Enjoy!_

The hum of the plane's engines whined as the craft made its gradual way back to the States. Thailand, despite being a potentially great vacation spot, hadn't really set nicely with Chuck in his time there. Something about the idea of being held against your will while someone was messing with your memories just wasn't something you'd call 'fun.' But now the nightmare was over. He was safe, back with his friends, and returning home with the one he loved. The uplifting prospect sent a smile to his lips.

"Why are you smiling?" a voice in his ear murmured.

Chuck cracked open an eye and peered into the bright blue ones watching him. Sarah, despite the haggard and sleep-deprived wears on her usually fresh and attentive face, still managed to look as ravishing as ever. Her golden hair spilled down to her shoulders in glistening waves, cupping her face with gentle intent. Her soft lips unconsciously pressed together seductively, always calling out to be joined to his. Regardless of her natural beauties, Chuck couldn't help but feel touched by Sarah's dedication to him. She'd gone to hell and back to save him, immersing herself into her dark side and managing to pull out of it and retain who she was, all the while saving Chuck's life once again. The immensity of it all left Chuck feeling like the luckiest guy in the galaxy. And knowing that he held this goddess' heart was the greatest thing he treasured.

Upon boarding the plane, Sarah had pushed him to rest from his ordeal, but strangely, Chuck only felt wired. He felt like all he did for the past few days was sleep. Or unwillingly get submitted to a comatose-induced slumber that almost wiped him of his memories.

_Maybe I should be exhausted,_ He pondered thoughtfully. He gave a mental shrug. _Oh, well._

It was Sarah who he felt needed the rest. From what he had gathered, she had neither rested nor taken any break in his time away. She had to have been exhausted. But against all his protests and arguments, she insisted he be the one to rest, while she took the pleasure of watching him.

"I'm smiling because I'm going home," he said, expanding his lips to a full, Bartowski-tradmarked grin. "With you."

Sarah's smile reached her eyes, her fatigue vanishing in the moment. It returned as she snuggled closer into him in their seat.

"I'm glad I have you back," she said, after a moment.

He wrapped his arms around her, briefly thinking of his alternative, vegetable-like outcome. "Me too," he whispered.

Sarah kissed his cheek and pulled away. "You should rest."

"Sarah, I'm fine. I'm actually wide awake." Chuck widened and bulged his eyes in emphasis, inciting a small laugh from Sarah. "Besides, you should be the one resting. You look like you haven't slept in days…." Sarah's eyes widened in offense.

Chuck attempted at recover. "…Buuuuuut, you still look as beautiful as ever. Duh, why wouldn't you be, you know? You're gonna have to let me in on your little secret because sometimes I just wake up and look, wooo! _Not pretty_. And don't get me started on Ellie after a 20 hour shift—"

Sarah halted his words with a distinguished tilt of her head, her eyes gazing into his with borderline sensual intentions. The end of his words came out as "shift-tah-tah…" as Sarah leaned closer, placing a delicate, but capably deadly, finger on his lips.

Her breath was warm against his cheek as she spoke. "Chuck, I really missed you."

Chuck couldn't seem to clear his throat fast enough. He fumbled with his words as Sarah nipped his neck with a soft kiss, drawing away slowly without ever lifting her sultry eyes from his. "I really missed you too, Sarah." She trailed a finger down his arm, trails of fire scorching his arms pleasurably. It took all the strength he possessed to say, "…but you really should rest. I can't stand knowing you're running on an empty tank."

Sarah paused her advance, taking in his words. "I…know." She sighed, and slumped back into her seat. Chuck's arms suddenly felt betrayed at Sarah's sudden lack of presence in their embrace. "I just…can't bring myself to sleep."

Chuck furrowed his brows. "Why?"

She was quiet a moment as she stared out the oval window beside them. The sun's rays radiated onto Sarah's skin, giving her a golden sheen in the light. She faced Chuck again. "I feel like if I did, for just a second, all of this would disappear. I would wake up in Castle from this wonderful dream and realize that you were still missing. And I can't go back to that nightmare." A shallow breath escaped her. "That reality of you gone is still so fresh in my mind, I just… can't go back to that."

Chuck's heart dropped to his gut as she spoke. His dismay seemed to equal his genuine surprise at the presence of tears now filling her eyes. Sarah Walker never cried. What shocked him even more were her claims. Sarah Walker scared? It couldn't be. Chuck owned that department.

Upon realizing her moment of weakness, Sarah quickly wiped at her eyes, and resumed a stoic, grim expression as she looked away from him.

Sarah's grief became too much for Chuck to simply sit idly by. Despite the typical, yet quickly brushed away trauma of being kidnapped and almost dying had been for Chuck, he had forgotten how it must have hurt Sarah. He had disappeared from the face of the planet, with no real leads of finding him or ways of communicating due to being unconscious. And the Intersect was blocked. Blocked indefinitely. Which meant, in Sarah's eyes, Chuck had been as defenseless as he had before he had gotten into the spy game. Yet against all those forces that had been bent against them, Sarah, along with Casey and Morgan, had saved him.

So for once, it was Sarah who needed saving now, and only Chuck could give her the solace she needed to move on.

"Sarah…." he whispered. "It's okay. I'm here. Really here. I'm with you again." He scooted over to her seat, drawing her up into his arms again, which she obliged automatically. "I can't make any promises in this line of work, but what I can promise you is that I love you. And you love me. If we have that, nothing can ever keep us apart for long." He smiled. "You're living proof of that."

Sarah stared into his warm, chocolate-brown eyes, her lips fidgeting as she continued to suppress her building emotion.

"It's okay, Sarah," Chuck repeated, pressing his forehead to hers. "It's okay…." He cupped a hand to her cheek, rubbing his thumb softly against her smooth skin as his words fully pressed down on her.

"Oh, Chuck…" Sarah whispered, finally giving in to her emotions. Tears ran down freely as she pulled him closer, their lips meeting like the soft lapping of the ocean's waves against the shore. The salt of her tears melted into their kiss, his tongue savoring the strange pleasure, and Sarah pulled Chuck even closer. Her hand grasped at the collar of his shirt, while the other ran down his chest like the trailing of water down the sheer of a cliff. He felt for the small of her back, and pulled her forward so their bodies melded into each other like fusing droplets of water becoming one. Their lips danced as their hearts raced and their blood burned with the ardor of a growing wildfire. Their intensity never faltered, but something between them softened the built tension from the past few days to brief bliss.

Suddenly, an audible, knowing growl emanated throughout the section of cabin they currently occupied, causing Chuck to jerk in Sarah's exploring arms.

"Sorry to interrupt such a heart-warming occasion," Casey growled, moving toward their row, though a look of amusement flickered across his hardened expression, despite the gruffness of his voice. "It was never my intent to see Walker reduced to tears."

Casey's hulking form moved smoothly past Chuck and Sarah as he marched to the back of the plane towards the bathrooms. But Sarah wasn't going to let him end on that note.

"I'm just tired, that's all," Sarah said roughly, straightening her blouse while discreetly wiping away at her eyes.

Casey rolled his eyes. "With you lip-smacking with Tweedle-Dee here while Tweedle-Dum is up front snoring up a storm, it's a wonder I haven't gone insane yet." He jerked a thumb over to Morgan's twitching form ten rows up, his head lolling off the three seats he occupied.

Chuck grinned at his grunt of a friend, though inwardly felt a twang of intimidation as he looked up at the big lug. "Oh, Casey, just admit it. You missed me too."

Casey grunted, looking away and giving a long roll of his head. Finally, he gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Eh. Someone has to keep Walker in line."

"Ah-ha!" Chuck exclaimed. He looked at Sarah and shrugged impishly. "I'll take it."

Casey barred his teeth and walked off. "Just keep the noise down, girls."

The couple stared after Casey, who hunkered down in the last row of the plane in seclusion. "Eh. I've been called worse," Chuck said, turning to Sarah once more.

Sarah smiled, but her eyes suddenly fluttered as a yawn seemed to escape her. Chuck gave her a look.

She lifted her hands in defeat. "_Fine. _You win. But I'm just resting my eyes,_"_ she mumbled.

Chuck, who was simply content due to the fact that she was finally listening to sense, became even more at ease when Sarah curled up beside him in his arms, her chin resting near the hollow of his neck. She brushed his neck twice with her tender lips, sending shivers down his spine, then tilted his head down to hers so she could bade him a soft, lingering kiss upon his lips.

When they had shifted to where they were reasonably comfortable even in the government issued seats of the plane, only then did he feel her lean muscles slack to utter relaxation. It was a rare sight.

He waited until Sarah's breathing had slowed from its usual rhythm to the slow measure of sleep, and only then did he feel it safe to finally close his eyes.

* * *

Feeling as though he'd slept only minutes, Chuck's eyes snapped open to the sound of a smooth voice over the intercom. Chuck glanced at his watch. They'd clonked out for a couple of well deserved hours.

"_Passengers, this is your captain speaking. We'll be arriving at our destination in 15 minutes. It was a pleasure flying with you today."_

As mike clicked off, Sarah's breathing quickened to its conscious state. Chuck released a frustrated breath, but Sarah didn't move. She remained in Chuck's embrace until the seatbelt light flicked on and the plane prepared for landing.

_Thanks for reading! Chapter 2 is on the way (I had no idea how long these things were allowed to be). And please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys!_

_So, I first want to start off by saying thank you for all those who read (or is currently reading. You guys are great too). It was super cool to get such nice reviews and sweet compliments. I honestly didn't know what to expect—I'd never shared my stuff before, and it was really nice to get such inspiring feedback. So, again, thank you all._

_Anyways, this follows chapter 1, and we're technically still in 'Chuck vs. Phase Three' in the timeline. Hope y'all enjoy!_

After debriefing at Castle with General Beckman, Team Bartowski settled back into their normal routines for the day. Sarah and Casey remained in Castle to busy themselves with the mission's paperwork while Chuck and Morgan returned upstairs to the Buy More, working throughout the day as though nothing had seemingly happened overseas.

The day wore on, and the cogs in Chuck's head seemed to sputter and lock together as he fretted over his ruined proposal plan (it didn't help that a haze still lingered his mind, but he felt the effects were already dissipating.) Morgan's assurances of Sarah's unquestionable love for him had only deferred a fraction of his worries, but because of this fact, he now felt as though he needed to up his game and develop the best proposal ever now.

_Because my original plan is swimming somewhere in the crapper_, thought Chuck bitterly.

"C'mon, man. You can't keep moping over this," Morgan said, hurrying up to meet Chuck's long, determined strides.

They had just left work, and arrived at the quad only moments ago. At the sight of their apartment, Chuck slowed his stride to a halt. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts, he'd barely spoken to Morgan on the car ride home.

"Sorry, buddy." Chuck offered him a half-hearted assurance of a smile. "It's just…I can't think of anything! I have no clue how to even come close to my last proposal plan. And with this spy business, I can't just sit around twiddling my thumbs while we could die on any mission on any given day—"

Morgan cut in. "Dude, don't say that! You, Casey and Sarah are the best in the business—"

Chuck shook his head. "Morgan, I almost lost my mind yesterday. Literally! And I've accepted that this is part of the job, but that doesn't make it so I can take my time on this. I need to take the next step as soon as possible, at the exact, perfect moment."

Chuck looked at his their apartment again, and inwardly cringed. He knew the first thing he'd do once he'd set foot in his home would be to head straight to the drawing board and further obsess in his ventures. And the prospect looked bleak.

With a sigh, he sat down by the fountain and placed his head in his hands.

Sarah. The love of his life. The most beautiful thing that had ever walked into his boring, repetitive, heading nowhere life, just four short years ago. She deserved the best, the greatest from him. He had to give her his all if he wanted to feel even the slightest worthy of marrying her.

_What if I'm not? _Chuck thought despondently._ What if our spy work just keeps getting in the way of us moving forward? I love Sarah, but if I can't do it right…._

Morgan sank into the patch of concrete next to him and shook his head, answering both his unspoken qualms and last words. "And you will. You'll come up with the perfect thing for Sarah. I know you will, because you, my friend, are Chuck Bartowski. Greatest asset-turned spy ever and my best friend. If anyone can pull this off, you can." He clapped a hand on his lanky friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We'll figure something out, dude."

Chuck's insides warmed to the comfort of Morgan's words, the compliments inciting a smile to his lips.

He looked at his best friend with gratitude, thankful that he had such a loyal, understanding friend. Only Morgan Grimes, who always stuck by him no matter what, knew just what to say to make him feel better, if only for a moment.

The sensation lingered, and Chuck's smile broadened.

"You're right, Morgan." Chuck sat up straighter from his downhearted slump. "I am Chuck Bartowski! If I could survive four years with a supercomputer stuck in my head while narrowly avoiding danger, keeping my friends and family safe, and ridding the world of nasty bad guys, I can surely figure out the perfect proposal plan."

Morgan grinned, and shot up from his seat. "See buddy? You got this!"

Chuck's triumphant smile deflated slightly as he considered his words. "Though... I could have never done all those things on my own. I always had the best team always backing me up." His thoughts moved to Casey and Sarah, his solid footing in his life and ultimate protectors, even now with the upgraded (though M.I.A) Intersect. He would be nothing without them. Team Bartowski would be nothing.

Morgan held up his hands. "Say no more, my friend. I would be HONORED to be a part of Operation Proposal. I got your back, dude."

Chuck shook his head, trying to mask the smile twitching to make an appearance on his lips. Morgan was a part of Team Bartowski too, though, not in the same kickass, gun slinging, ever-intimidating way that his predecessors were on a day-to-day business. However, in Chuck's eyes, Morgan was as integral to the team as Chuck was. And he was happy for the assistance.

"Thanks, Morgan," Chuck said earnestly.

"You got it, dude." Morgan unconsciously wiped some invisible dirt from his pants and adjusted his tie, then waved at Chuck to get up. "C'mon. Let's knock down a couple hours of some well deserved Halo."

Chuck nodded, and he got up his seat by the lapping waters of the fountain and walked alongside his best friend to their apartment.

They were already discussing the strict parameters of their future Firefight Co-Op, when Chuck stuck his key into the lock and pushed the door open. He suddenly froze the moment he set foot through the door and laid eyes on the scene before him.

"Hey-" Morgan cried, running straight into Chuck's back. He peered behind him. "What's going...? Oh."

A slight gape rounded Chuck's lips, and Morgan's did the same.

The apartment was dim except for the dozens of candles littered across the tables and counters, flickering and winking at them as to hint the foreshadowing rendition of the romantic evening to come. The air wafted with the rich scent of slow-roasted chicken, simmered gravy, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, mixed vegetables, and...a hint of apple pie? Chuck's senses went haywire trying to distinguish the aromas, though he wasn't complaining.

Chuck's jaw dropped even further when he was able to discern the soft, husky croon of Elvis Presley drift from the surround sound system by the TV, and currently filling the apartment with his trademark 'Hunka-Hunka Burning Love.'

_Sarah must have raided my CDs_, thought Chuck distantly. _Unless my intruder has a thing for cooking in strangers' homes and rocking out to Elvis._

"What is this?" he whispered, though it seemed obvious, but he still felt it appropriate to voice his thoughts aloud.

Morgan was in the same state of awe, but quickly recovered. "Looks like we won't be playing Halo," he muttered, laying a hand on his well-groomed beard.

"But..." Chuck looked at his watch. He had figured Sarah was still at Castle, but he realized that a few hours was enough for Sarah to whiz through her paperwork and get home to cook dinner.

Morgan began shuffling past Chuck back outside. "Well, I'll go through the Morgan door to my room so I don't disturb you and your...Sarah!"

Sarah came out from the kitchen wearing a yellow laced apron over a silky, white sundress, her hair piled up onto the top of her head in a loose bun. She halted in her tracks at the sight of the men now in her home, and she quickly smiled at her roommates, but it was evident in her eyes that this had been a surprise in the making.

"Oh! You're home early," she said, giving them both a dazzling grin. "I wasn't expecting you two for another half hour."

"Oh, well, I was just leaving," Morgan said, jerking his thumb behind him. "Was gonna grab some stuff, but now I'm feeling like I don't need it. So…."

Sarah's eyes grew wide and apologetic. "Oh, Morgan, I made sure I made enough for leftovers. You can stay if you want."

Like a mosquito heading towards the light, Morgan appeared mesmerized as the overpowering scent of chicken finally broke through his defenses. Chuck snapped his friend out of his reverie when saliva began to seep from the corners of his mouth.

"Uh, really, it's fine," Though it looked like it took all of Morgan's willpower to say so. "I was heading over to Alex's anyway. Uh, date night. Yeah." He paused, his eyes flicked across the apartment in another once-over.

Sarah's expression flickered in amusement, but her lips pressed together and it smoothed over once more with the ease of a master.

But Chuck caught on.

_Oh, you sneaky…._

He looked at Sarah in awe, waiting for the next card she'd lay down.

"Well, I insist you take some for the road then," she offered, waving to Morgan to follow her.

Morgan shrugged, as if to say, _oh, why not, _though he held a light of eagerness in his eyes. "Well, if you insist."

Sarah smiled at Chuck as Morgan scurried into the kitchen and began packing up some of the food in tuber ware. Cupboards slammed open and shut, plastic clattered around profusely, and by the sound of it, Morgan was being quite generous in his takings. Sarah left him to it, and she peeled off her cooking apron and pulled the hair tie confining her golden locks, so to tumble down her shoulders in their natural waves. Running her fingers through her hair and shaking her head, she sauntered over to her captivated Chuck.

He took her in his arms and met her gleaming, blue eyes with amusement. He brushed his lips with hers, a soft moan escaping from her when they broke away. "That was a very sneaky thing you did there, Miss Walker," he whispered into her ear.

She raised a brow at him and grinned. "Well, as you know, I am a spy, Mr. Bartowski. I'm in the business of being sneaky."

There was a clash in the kitchen. "Sorry," came a reply, and the scuttling ensued once more.

He chuckled. "I have to say, I give you style points for devising a plan to get rid of Morgan. And the apartment looks amazing." He swiveled his head to admire it again. One of Elvis's hits, 'Hound Dog' blared through the speakers. "Oh, and my Elvis collection?"

Sarah shrugged impishly. "He was the only one I'd really recognized when I was looking through your collection. And besides, I kinda like him."

The intro drum roll ended, and Elvis cried out,

_You ain't nothin' but a hound dog, Cryin' all the time…._

Chuck grinned, glad that Sarah's lack of proficiency in music was finally coming to an end. "You know, there's a reason why he's considered the King of Rock n' Roll. Nice pick."

Sarah's gaze turned sensuous as she trailed a finger down Chuck's chest. "Oh? I figured he was known more for his…romantic tendencies."

Chuck gulped, as her finger trailed lower and lower down his torso. "Gah! Well, he did—uh, you know have some— nuh—"

Her hands slipped away as Morgan appear once more, precariously carrying various bulky tubs of miscellaneous foods impressively in one hand. In the midst of he and Sarah's banter, Chuck had failed to notice that Morgan left the kitchen and had ventured to his room as well, because he lugged a backpack on his shoulders, their 2nd XBOX 360 console portable bag gripped with his fingers and his Original Trilogy Star Wars pillow tucked under the same arm.

They peered at the pillow quizzically. "Date nights sometimes end in sleepovers," Morgan explained, noting their blatant confusion. "So… I'm just gonna hit the road now. Borrowing the Herder, bro." With a smile, Morgan shuffled forth to the door, treading gingerly as Sarah opened the door for him.

"Bye, Morgan," they said in unison, and Sarah shut the door behind him once he was out of sight.

She sighed a breath of relief as she laid her back against the door. "Elvis has finally left the building."

Chuck laughed. "No kidding. Do you think there's any food left?"

"I'm afraid to find out," she said.

The music ended, and a new song began. Recognizing the song, Chuck titled his head to the side, letting the music envelop him. "We don't have to," he whispered.

Elvis sang softly the words that seemed to course through Chuck's veins everyday and in every moment.

_Wise men say, only fools rush in  
But I can't help falling in love with you_

The words caused a lurch in Chuck's throat. How long had it been since he'd first laid eyes on Sarah? Despite the long and bumpy road it had been for them, Chuck's love for her had always been unwavering. He'd fallen for her the moment he'd laid eyes on her, and with all the relationships he'd had between then and now, deep down, he'd always loved her since that first day at the Buy More.

"We could stay right here," he murmured, moving up against her and pulling her into his arms once more, and gazed into her luminous eyes. The next verse was upon Chuck's tongue, and he sang along with the King softly into Sarah's ear.

_Shall I stay  
Would it be a sin  
If I can't help falling in love with you_

Sarah's eyes lit up at the heart-warming words. She closed her eyes and let the music seep down into her, chills running down her arms and legs.

"Oh, Chuck," she whimpered, holding him tighter.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea  
Darling so it goes  
Some things are meant to be_

He took her hand in his, and pressed his lips against it softly, her scent sending electrified shivers down his spine. He uttered the next verses with undying sincerity.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too  
For I can't help falling in love with you_

As the words left his lips, Chuck shuddered at the wave of realization that overtook him. His life would mean nothing without Sarah. She had walked into his life, turned it upside down and shot it up with a crapload of bullets, but in the end, she'd given him meaning to his boring life. A purpose. It had been meant to be. If loving Sarah Walker meant giving up his life, he'd do it in a heartbeat (despite his extremely low tolerance for pain.) There was no doubt in his mind that he was forever hers.

He grinned as he continued to sing along to the song, and vocally mimicked the guitar's _twang_ with the efficiency of an expert nerd. Sarah laughed, her smile reaching up to her eyes.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea  
Darling so it goes  
Some things are meant to be_

He sang the last words with complete genuineness, staring at Sarah with unblinking eyes. Comprehension flashed across her face. She understood. She understood all that she meant to him.

He pulled her away from the door, taking her hands in his and led her into a dance.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too  
For I can't help falling in love with you  
For I can't help falling in love with you_

As the last note was uttered, Chuck pulled Sarah into a low dip, her hair falling past her shoulders and cascading to the floor. She smiled and laid a hand against Chuck's cheek. She drew him forward and kissed him. As their lips danced, he pulled her back up to a standing position and whisked her into his arms.

_Love Me Tender _followed its predecessor, and Sarah moaned as Chuck brushed his lips against her neck. They fell onto the couch, his body over hers as the music seemed to get louder. Something hard pressed against his side, and Chuck fumbled a moment at the foreign object jabbing his hip bone before pulling out the stereo's control. He threw it over his shoulder, and it thumped to the floor.

Sarah's fingers ran through Chuck's hair, tugging him closer as his hands cradled her head. The music reverberated across the house, the words sinking into each brush of their lips.

_Love me tender,  
Love me sweet,  
Never let me go.  
You have made my life complete,  
And I love you so.  
_

In the moment, Chuck forgot all about his worries about the perfect proposal. He was with her, and that's all that mattered now. They were together again. They were complete.

Elvis's words soon faded into the background, and they were simply just Chuck and Sarah. Their breathing grew ragged and Sarah was the first to break away. Chuck pressed his lips to her jaw, her scent overwhelming his senses once more. He felt her heart pounding against his, a thundering drum that matched the beat of his passion for her.

"God, Chuck," she whispered, her breathing still hard. "I…missed you. I'm so glad I'm with you again."

"Do you still think you're in a dream?" he murmured, pulling back and looking into her eyes.

_Love me tender  
Love me long,  
Take me to your heart.  
For it's there that I belong,  
And we'll never part._

"Yes," she whispered, the candlelight around them causing her eyes to glisten. "I'm always in a dream when I'm with you…." She smiled. "However, to properly answer your question: no, not anymore. Reality has finally set in. You're back with me." Her smile faded, and seriousness etched her flawless face. "I came to realize that when you were gone, that despite the despair I felt, I knew that no matter where you were, I'd find you. And I'll always find you. Because when we're apart, you're never really gone." She took his hand and placed it upon her racing heart. "You're always with me, Chuck."

His throat clenched at the sincerity of her words. "I love you, Sarah," he murmured, feeling that that was all he could say to convey every bit of emotion coursing through him. He slowly dipped his head to meet her lips once more.

They kissed, their bodies melding into each other like two perfect puzzles pieces. Sarah was the first to pull away. "I love you, Chuck," she murmured, her eyes fluttering in ecstasy.

"I'll love you for forever, Sarah," he stated, letting the building emotion coat his words. "That's something I can definitely guarantee you, no matter what happens to us."

Sarah stared at him. "Chuck—"

Chuck stopped her by singing again.__

Love me tender,  
Love me dear,  
Tell me you are mine.  
I'll be yours through all the years,  
Till the end of time.

She smiled, all worry from her gaze gone.

"I'm yours," she breathed. "Always."

Chuck couldn't take it anymore. He scooped Sarah into his arms again and carried her across the apartment until they reached their room. Sarah giggled when Chuck kicked their door open with an awkward jab of his foot, and laid her down on their bed. He showered her with kisses, brushing her down from the curve of her neck to her collar bone and up again. However, she soon took the initiative by wrapping her legs around his waist and sending trailing of fire down his skin with her fingertips.

Chuck halted his progress of unbuttoning his Nerd Herd attire when he saw Sarah smiling. He arched a brow at her questioningly.

"What about dinner?" she asked. "I slaved over the stove for almost an hour."

"Oh you poor thing," he growled in her ear, his hands sliding down her sides, inciting a pleasurable moan from her. A growing smile threatened to splay across his lips. "I'm sure we'll be plenty hungry later."

Sarah grinned, and pulled him forward, their lips meeting once more. Faintly, they were conscious of Elvis's final bid to their love, his words echoing down the hall and throughout the entire house as they proceeded to make up for their time apart. __

When at last my dreams come true  
Darling this I know  
Happiness will follow you  
Everywhere you go….

_Thanks for reading! Already started our heroes' next adventure (I'm so stoked for this next one.) Please review!_


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